Keeping well

HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) weakens your immune system. When you become HIV-positive, you might not feel ill or even know you have HIV. Once you have been diagnosed with HIV, the health of your immune system should be regularly measured by looking at your CD4 cell count. If your CD4 count drops below a certain level, you will need to start HIV treatment.

HIV treatment is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). It lowers the level of HIV in your body and allows your immune system to stay strong. The aim of HIV treatment is to get your viral load below 50 copies/ml. This is often referred to as an ‘undetectable’ viral load because standard viral load tests can’t detect such small quantities of virus. Having an undetectable viral load means that HIV is still in your body, but at a much lower level.

HIV treatment helps prevent you from developing certain illnesses, such as some serious infections and types of cancer. Some of these illnesses are known as AIDS-defining illnesses, which means that your HIV has progressed. AIDS stands for:

Acquired – something you get

Immune – affects your body’s immune system

Deficiency – weakens your immune system

Syndrome – a collection of illnesses.

With the right treatment and care, many people with HIV may never experience AIDS. It depends on a range of factors, including how well you respond to treatment and lifestyle factors that influence your health, such as diet, exercise and smoking.